Tabulating mechanism for typewriting machines



APPLiCATION FILED JULY-24,1919.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

QSHEETS-SHEET l- F. P. GORIN. TABULATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY 24,1919. 1,41 1,997, Patented P 4, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

4 ulllllll l' I I F. P. GORIN.

TABULATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24,1919- Patented Apr.-4, 1922.

3 HEETS-SHEET 3 Ill I. GORIN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 GORIN SHOCKLESS SPEED TAIBULATOR COMPANY, OF KING COUNTY, .WASHINGTON, A. CORPORATION Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4., 1922.

Application filed July 24, 1919. Serial No. 312,936.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that FRED P. GORIN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Central Bldg, Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tabulating Mechanism for Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tabulating mechanism for typewriting machines.

In my Patent No. 1264292, dated April 30th, 1918, similar mechanism is disclosed, but in that construction it was optional with the operator in holding a tabulating key depressed to permit the carriage to return to the selected predetermined point after the impact of the stops.

In the present invention I have provided improved means to permit the return of the carriage to the predetermined point by the retraction of the buffer spring only after finger pressure has been removed from the tabulator key, which alwaysinsures immediate re-connection of the typewriter feed rack with its feed pinion. This action sets up a rolling contact between the feed rack and pinion during the return movement of the carriage to the predetermined point under the influence of the buffer spring, and insures ultimate positioning at the proper time.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of improved and simplified escapement mechanism between the. actuated parts when a tabular key is operated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means to prevent overthrow or actuation of the stop rod when moving the carriage in contra-letter feed direction, as when the carriage is being returned to a full stop to'begin a new line.

The invention also comp-rehends improvements in the combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional typewriting tabulator, illustrating the application of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail plan view of a portion of a typewriter illustrating the tabulator.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the same.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a similar view but illustrating the lock rod in rocked position.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the tabulating mechanism.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating the movement of the lock rod teeth with reference to the fixed stop.

The numeral 1 indicates conventionally a typewriter; 2 the carriage; 4 the usual rack bar; and 3 the pinion cooperating with the rack. The typewriter is provided with a tabulator 5, which includes stops 6, operated by the usual keys.

Extending from the rear and secured to the carriage 2, are brackets 8 and'9 which support the tabulator attachment. Mounted in the brackets 8 and 9, isa stop bar 10, provided with a plurality of teeth 11, and attached to a projection on the end of the bar is the usual motor spring 13. Extending from the stop bar 10 is a pin 14, and attached thereto is a light spring 15, the opposite endbeing secured to the bracket 8.

Cooperating with the bar 10, and engaging with the teeth 11, are stops 16, which of course are positioned where it is desired to stop the carriage at a predetermined writing point when tabulating.

Secured to the stop bar 10, are brackets 17 and 18, in which is mounted a lock rod 20, and to the latter-is fastened one end of a spring 28, the opposite end being secured to the bracket 17.

From the bracket 9, projects an extension 29, the inner upper end of which is bevelled to provide a cam 30, while the top portion forms a track 31, for a roller 32, mounted on the front of the lock rod. The roller normally engages the nose of the cam, the spring 28, acting to rotate the rod to effect this relation.

On a rib 33, at the rear of the lock rod' are teeth 34, with which a tooth 35 fixed on the typewriter frame cooperates, as will presently appear.

Extending through the bracket 17 is an adjustable screw or stop 37, which is located in the path of movement of the bracket 9,

to limit the movement of the carriage in the carriage under the influence of the motor spring.

The mechanism thus far described is similar to that disclosed in my previously identified patent, and it is the features associated with these parts, and about to be disclosed, with which the present invention is concerned. 1

Pivoted to the opposite ends of the carriage 2, is a bail 40*, the lower edge of the rear bar of which is provided with ratchetteeth 41. These teeth are disposed over the path of movement of the stops 6. As the bar is pivotally supported, the teeth thereon will ride freely over a projected tabular stop during movement of the carriage under the influence of its motor spring in a tabulating operation.

On one end of the lock rod 20, is a collar 42, which is held in adjusted position by a set screw 43. This collar cooperates with a fixed stop 44, on the typewriter frame, and limits the movement of the carriage when returned to normal position to commence a new line. As the lock rod 20, has movement independent of the carriage, were it not for the collar and stop limiting the movement of the lock rod, the roller 32 would roll up the cam 30, and overthrow the rod and lock it to the frame at the wrong time.

To tabulate, the desired carriage stop 16, on the stop bar 10, is positioned to cooperate with a tabulating stop 6. Then the selected tabulating key 7, is depressed, which through the connections, projects one of the tabulating stops 6, into the path of the carriagestops 16. When the tabulator key is depressed, the carriage escapement bar 3 is disengaged from the letter feed, and the carriage is free to move under the influence of the motor spring 13, until the carriage stop 16, collides with the tabulator stop 6.

During this movement the ratchet teeth on the bail 40 ride freely over the upper edge of the projected tabulated stop 6, the vertical surface of one of the teeth ultimately engaging the stop 6, and preventing movement of the carriage in contra-letter feed direction, as will be seen later on.

\Vhen the carriage stop 16, impacts with the tabulator stop 6, the shock slides the carriage beyond the stop rod, to the right of the predetermined letter point, as viewed from the rear of the machine, the stop rod being held against further movement by the tabulator stop.

In the movement of the carriage after the impact of the stops, the cam 30 rides under the roller 32, and rocks the lock rod 20, from the position shown in'Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. When this movement occurs the space between two of the teeth 34, will straddle the fixed stop 35, as shown in Fig. 7, but neither surface of the stop will engage either wall of the adjacent teeth. In other words while the carriage has moved beyond the'lock bar, and while such movement has caused the latter to rock, the fixed stop 34 is free in the space between two adjacent teeth 34 and remains so until the tabulator stop 6" is withdrawn from engagement with the stop 6. Consequently in this interval, the teeth 34, are simply in position to engage the fixed stop 35, or in other words the interlock between the carriage and theframe is set for future operation. It is to be understood that the illustration of the space between the fixed stop 35 and the adjacent walls of the teeth 34, is materially exaggerated in the showing in Figs. 7 8 and 9, in order that the operation may be more clearly understood. As a matter of fact, and as will be plain from the description above, the space between the teeth 34 is to be just sufiicient to freely receive the stop 35, or in other words such as to prevent a binding between the fixed stop and both walls defining the space between the teeth at the same time.

As soon as pressure on the tabulator key 7 is removed, the motor spring 13, exerts its influence on the carriage and the surface a, of one of the teeth 34, frictionally engages the side I) of the fixed stop 35, and holds the lock rod in locked position with the frame of the machine, as shown in Figure 8. Immediately thereafter the buffer spring 15 pulls the carriage back until the extension on the bracket 9, contacts with the stop 37 which knocks the lock rod20, in contra-letter feed direction, thereby causing the surface 0 of the adjacent tooth 34, to friction- 00 ally engage the opposite side surface (Z, of the fixed stop 35 as shown in Figure 9. This action holds the lock rod in locked position, notwithstanding the fact that the cam 30 is, at this time, out of engagement with the 05 roller 32. Immediately after the frictional engagement of the surfaces 0 and d takes place, there occurs a series of very minute vibrations of the lock rod 20, in its attempt to find its normal position .in both letter feed and contra-letter feed direction, due to the resiliency of .the buffer spring 15. It is in this interval the spring 28, acts to rock the lock rod back to its normal position, and hence removes the teeth 34, from cooperative relation with the fixed stop 35.

During .the time the surfaces a and b between the tooth 34 and the fixed stop 35, were in engagement, all the power generated in the run of the carriage was stored in the bufi'er spring 15, and this force, together with the steady pull exerted by the motor spring 13, created friction sufficient to hold the rod locked to the fi'xed stop. But in the next movement, or rather the next step in the operation, that is when the surfaces 0 and d were engaged, all the force stored in the buffer 15, was absorbed in the blow incident to the preceding step in the operation, when the lock rod tooth 34, frictionally engaged against the fixed stop, leaving in the last step in the operation the small movement represented by the space between the teeth 34 and the stop 35 for the carriage and lock bar to move.

So long as the tabulator key remains depressed, there is no binding or locking ac tion between the lock rod 20 and the fixed stop, but there has been a relationship created between the teeth and the fixed stop which will subsequently cause a locking action between the parts. This relationship is maintained by the teeth 41, on the bail engaging the tabulator stop, and until the latter is retracted the carriage cannot move under, the reaction of the buffer spring 15..

Thus positive means are provided to insure that the buffer spring cannot retract to normal position until after pressure has been removed from the key. Hence a reconnection between the feed rack and the pinion is insured, and a rolling contact between these parts occurs, before the carriage is finally returned to its predetermined position.

Of course in the normal operation of tabulating, the operator depresses the tabulating key 7, and holds it until the impact of the stops and then instantly removes pressure therefrom, and the several steps in the operations just described occur so rapidly it is diflicult to detect the individual steps, but in actual practice they actually occur.

The lock rod has. independent movement with respect to the carriage in one direction against the action of the bulfer spring 16, and when the operator moves the carriage in contra-letter feed direction to begin a new line the collar 42, and the stop 44, will prevent the lock rod teeth becoming locked to the fixed stop. This construction positively insures against over throw of the lock rod beyond the stopping point of the carriage.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in the operation of tabulating, the depression of a key'permits the carriage to move beyond the predetermined point, and in so doing the buffer is brought into operation and at the same time the interlock between the carriage and the typewriter frame is set. The carriage is now held by the ratchet teeth on the bail against movement to its final predetermined position, and cannot locate in such predetermined position until after pressure on the key is removed.

From the above description, it will be apparent that in the initial movement of the carriage following cooperation of the tabular stops, two distinctive and yet cooperating actions occur. In the first place, this said movement of the carriage stores power in the buffer spring, but if at this period'the stop operated by the tabulating key is still in stop position, the teeth 41 on bar 40 cooperate with said stop, as previously described, and thus prevents movement of the carriage under the action of the buffer spring.' In other words the bar 40 automatically locks the carriage under what will be termed the active influence of the buffer spring, so long as the tabulating key is held depressed. Obviously, so long as such tabulating key is held depressed, there can be no cooperation between the letterfeed control indicated ,by the escapement means 3 and 4, and hence the provision above noted for holding the carriage against the active influence of the buffer spring, insures that the letter-feed control of the carriage must necessarily be in, cooperation simultaneously with the release of such carriage to the active influence of the buffer spring.

The second distinctive action occuring in the initial movement of the carriage pass the writing point in the buffer operation, is that the lock rod 20 is rocked through the cooperation of the elements 31, 32, to cause the space between two particular teeth 34 of such lock rod to embrace the fixed stop 35. The parts are so arranged that in this cooperation the fixed stop 35 enters the space without appreciable frictional engagement with the wall of either tooth, that is, the fixed stop may be said to cooperate freely between the teeth in the described relation of the parts. Immediately however the carriage is released to the active influence of the buffer spring, such carriage is returned to the writing point and when it reaches there, one wall of the tooth adjacent the fixed stop is frictioned against that stop and hinders the lock rod 20 from returning to normal. The motor spring now asserts itself and frictions the wall of the other adjacent toot-h against the opposite side of the fixed stop andhinders the upward rocking movement of the lock rod in the same manner, and if after this alternate frictioning of the teeth against the fixed stop allows the teeth to gradually disengage themselves from the stop, it is clear that.

there can be no rebound during the successive frictioning period. As the carnage moves to the writing point under the initial I active influenceof the buffer spring, the roller 32 rides off the track 31, and the spring 28 exerts its influence to return the lock rod 20 to its normal position, Which is of course with the teeth 34 free of the fixed stop 35. Thus, notwithstanding the fact thatthe lock rod 20,aside from this frictional cooperation is free to return to normal position, such frictional cooperation pre-" vents such return of the lock rod to normal position .until the carriage is at rest at the writing point. Obviously between each. frictional cooperation of the respective walls with the fixed stop, as described, the spring 28 acts to move the stop rod 'so that in each free interval, the lock rod is moved more nearly to a normal position. Thus the said rod gradually works free of the fixed lock, and the parts are so proportioned and relatively arranged that as the carriage comes to rest, the lock rod in the final position has but a slight distance to move to free itself from the fixed stop, and the latter is not held in any pronounced frictional engagement with either wall of the space between the teeth. 'Thus the carriage may be said to automatically maintain the cooperation between the lock rod and fixed stop during the full movement of the carriage following a tabulating operation, and to free this connection when the carriage is at rest at the writing point under such relative positions of the parts that .a comparatively slight movement of the lock rod is necessary to return such stop rod to normal position. Thus no possible interference with immediate use of the typewriting keys can result from the construction described.

What I claim is 1. A tabulating typewriter having acarriage, tabulating mechanism, buffer means for the carriage, and means coacting with the tabulating mechanism to prevent initial active influence of the buffer means while the tabulating mechanism is in a predetermined relation.

2; A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, tabulating mechanism, including a manually operable element, buffer means for the carriage, and means to prevent the initial active influence of the buffer means during an operative position of the manually operable element of the tabulating mechanism 3. In a tabulating typewriter having a carriage, buffer means for said carriage,

. and means under the control of the operator to hold the buffer means against initial active influence on the carriage.

4. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, tabulating mechanism including stops on the typewriter frame and carriage, bufler means, and means to prevent the initial active influence of the buffer means while said stops are in cooperation.

5. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, tabulating mechanism including stops on the typewriter frame and carriage, buffer means, and means to automatically prevent the initial active influence of the buffer means while said stops are in cooperation.

6. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, tabulating mechanism including stops on the typewriter frame and carriage, buffer means, and means cooperating with one of said stops to prevent the initial active influence of the buffer means while said stops are in cooperation.

7. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a letter-feed means therefor, tabulatingmechanism, bufier means for the carriage, said letter-feed means being held disconnected while the tabulating mechanism is operative, and means to prevent initial active influence of the buffer means until the letter-feed means has been re-connected.

8. A tabulating typewriter including a carriage, tabulating mechanism therefor, buffer means for the carriage to absorb the shock of the run of the carriage past the writing point determined by the tabulating mechanism, and means to hold the carriage against the carriage return influence of the buffer means While the tabulating mechanism is in operative position.

9. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a buffer means, a stop element movable with respect to the carriage, and means to prevent overthrow of the stop element when the carriage is returned to initial position by the buffer means.

10. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a buffer means, a stop element yieldingly mounted with respect to the carriage, and means to prevent overthrow of the stop element when the carriage is returned to initial position by the buffer means.

11. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a buffer means therefor, a fixed stop on the typewriter frame, a locking rod adapted to coact with the fixed stop and means to prevent overthrow of the locking rod in the movement of the carriage under the influence of the buffer means.

12. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a buffer means therefor, cooperating stop elements, one of said elements being yieldingly mounted with respect to the carriage, and means to prevent disconnection of the elements While the carriage is moving under the influence of the buffer means.

13. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a buffer means therefor, cooperating stop elements, one of which is yieldingly mounted with respect to the carriage, means operative through a buffer movement of the carriage to arrange saidstop elements for cooperation, and means which prevents disconnection of said elements while thecarriage is moving under the influence of the buffer means.

14., A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, a stop element. movable with respect to the carriage, a buffer means for the carriage, a fixed stop with which said stop element is adapted to cooperate, means actuated in the initial run of the carriage to cause cooperation between said stop element and fixed stop, and means incident to the buffer movement of the carriage to prevent disconnection of said stop element and fixed stop while the carriage is moving.

15. In a tabulating typewriter the combination of a fixed stop'fixed to the typewriter frame, a stop bar yieldingly mounted upon the carriage, a locking rod adapted to ooact with the fixed stop, and means to prevent overthrow of the rod.

16. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, buffer means for the carriage, tabulating mechanism including a manually operable element, locking means for the carri'age adapted to be set in the initial run of the carriage past the writing point following a tabulating operation, and means dependent upon the movement of the carriage under the buffer means for maintaining the locking means operative.

17. In a typewriter tabulator, the combination of a carriage, a lock rod carried thereby and having movement independent thereof, a buifer cooperating with the lock rod, a fixed stop with which the lock rod cooperates, ratchet teeth on the carriage to cooperate with the tabulator stop to hold the carriage in contra-letter feed direction when the bufier is in action, the lock rod frictionally engaging the fixed stop only after withdrawal of the tabulator stop and thereafter effecting a locking action, and means to return the lock bar to normal po sition.

18. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, buffer means therefor, tabulating mechanism including a manually operable element, an interlock for the carriage, means p for preliminarily setting the interlock, and

means for subsequently effecting an interlocking action, following release of the manually operable element of the tabulating mechanism.

19. A tabulating typewriter having a carriage, buffer means therefor, tabulating mechanism for the carriage, an interlock adapted to be set in the initial run of the carriage following a tabulating operation, means for perfecting the interlock through the movement of the carriage from the buffer means, and means to prevent the perfecting of the interlock while the tabulating mechanism is operative.

20. In a typewriter tabulator, the combinationof a carriage, tabulating mechanism including a manually operable, member, interlock mechanism between the carriage and the frame, and means actuating the interlock mechanism by operation of the said tabulating member and completing the operation of the interlock mechanism by releasing said member.

21. In a typewriter tabulator, the combination of a carriage, and tabulating mechanism including a manually operable mem ber, and interlocking mechanism between the carriage and the frame including a dedirection while the member is depressed and which upon release of pressure on the key permits the first mentioned device to complete its interlock with the frame.

22. In a typewriter tabulator, the combination of a carriage and tabulating mechanism including a manually operable member, a tabulator stop, interlocking means between the carriage and frame including a fixed stop and a pair of racks, one of said racks cooperating With the fixed stop when the member is actuatedand the other rack cooperating with the tabulator stop.

23. In combination, a typewriter comprising a movable carriage, a fixed stop on the typewriter frame, escapement feed mechanism, tabulating mechanism including a manually operable member, interlocking means between the carriage and the frame, means for preliminarily setting the interlock and disengaging the escapement when the member is actuated, and means for finally operating the interlock and immediately causing reconnections of the escapement when the member is released.

24. In combination, a typewriter compris ing'a movable carriage, tabulating mechanism including a manually operable member, -a buffer, interlocking mechanism between the carria e and the frame including a fixed stop an teeth which are prelimiwhich finally alternately frictionally engage to cause the carriage to stop in a predetermined position, and means to prevent the frictional engagement until after the preliminary setting is completed and which is operated only when said manually operable member is released.

25. In combination, a typewriter comprising a movable carriage, a fixed stop on the typewriter frame, a tabulator including a manually operable member and a stop, buffer mechanism including a rockable rod having teeth to cooperate with the fixed stop when the member is operated, and means for subsequently releasing the carriage and holding it in a predetermined position when said member is released.

, 26. A tabulator attachment for a typewriter comprising means to release and permit a carriage to move in letter direction including a manually operable member, a buffer to act on the carriage when driven past a predetermined letter feed direction when the member is operated, and means for preventing initial influence of the buffer, the release of the manually operable member releasing the buffer and permitting same to retract to permit and cause the carriage to stop at a predetermined point.

'27. A tabulator attachment comprising a manually operable member, a movable stop operated by the member, a bufier, a fixed stop, means adapted to be attached to the carriage to operatewith the movable stop to prevent initial influence of the buffer carriage to cooperate with the movable stop to prevent initial influence of the buffer when the member is operated.

29. In a tabulating typewriter, a carriage, 15

buffer means for said carriage, and means to prevent rebound of the carriage past the predetermined writing point after it has passed such point in a tabulating operation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 20

FRED P. GORIN. 

